Texas Department of Insurance

Insurance Tips   

• Keep an inventory. Fill out TDI's Home Inventory Checklist (PDF) that you can print or save to a disk and keep somewhere secure. Consider e-mailing it to yourself to ensure you'll have it wherever you are. Also take photos or videotape of each room and the exterior of your home to keep with your inventory.
• Gather important documents and insurance cards and policies. Unless they are stored in a safe place, take health insurance cards; auto and home insurance policies; and an inventory of your possessions, including receipts and photos or videos.
• Know what your policy covers. Make certain your homeowners or commercial property coverage is still in force and that it provides adequate coverage to pay the full replacement cost of your property. Check your auto policy to see if you have comprehensive coverage "other than collision." Comprehensive coverage pays if a storm, fire, or flood damages your car. Find out how much coverage you have for "additional living expenses" to cover lodging, food, and other expenses if you're forced to vacate your residence after suffering a covered loss.
• Know your policy limits. Contact your agent and check the limits of your policies. For homeowners policies, ask about limits for contents and buildings. Your limits may be too low if replacement costs have risen because of new additions, improvements, or inflation.
• Review your health coverage. Find out if you'll be able to receive non-emergency care from out-of-network providers, if needed, without accruing additional out-of-pocket costs.
• Consider renters insurance if you don't have it. A landlord's insurance policy usually covers the house or building, but not the personal property of the building's tenants. If you rent an apartment, duplex, house, or townhouse, you may need renters insurance to protect your belongings.
• Consider business interruption coverage. Business interruption coverage compensates you for lost income and certain operating expenses if you are forced to vacate your business because of a loss covered in your policy.
• Consider alternative storing methods for company files. Important documents can be scanned and stored in a safe location. Also consider taking photos of office equipment and furniture.

General Tips   

• Take precautions to avoid a house fire. Never smoke when near flammable liquids. Be cautious with alternative heating sources. Place space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials. Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from house. Place a screen in front of the fireplace. Keep matches away from children. Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or medicated.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your house. Put them outside bedrooms or at the top of open stairways, but not in the kitchen. Test smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace alarms every 10 years.
• Check your home for fire hazards. Have electrical wires in house checked by an electrician. Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs. Ensure outlets have cover plates and no exposed wiring. Don't overload extension cords.
• Install fire extinguishers in your home and teach everyone to use them.
• Buy emergency repair items. These items include asking tape, lumber, plastic sheeting, sandbags and sand. Keep all receipts for insurance or tax purposes.
• Review escape routes with your family. Practice escaping from each room. Make sure windows aren't nailed or painted shut. Consider buying escape ladders and ensure that burglar bars, etc. are easily opened from inside. Teach everyone to stay low to the floor where the air is safer when escaping the fire.
• Ask your local fire department to inspect your home and offer fire safety and prevention tips. Remove items from around the house that could burn. These include wood piles, lawn furniture, and grills.
• Prepare for being away from home. Place valuables, documents, etc. in the car ready for a quick departure. Also load your pets in the car. Assemble a disaster kit that you can grab in a hurry. Include the following in the kit:
  • Water: Pack enough bottled water for every person to have one gallon of water for three days.
  • Food: Non-perishable foods, canned goods, can opener, and utensils.
  • Extra clothing: Clothes, shoes, and blankets
  • First aid kit: Gloves, gauze, soap, hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, bandages, pain relievers, thermometer, and tape.
  • Medications: Prescriptions, eye glasses and hearing aids, and items for dentures, and contact lenses. Pack prescriptions in their original containers. Ask your doctor about storing medications.
  • Emergency items: Battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, cash and change, a whistle, shovel, basic tools, baby wipes, garbage bags, toilet paper, and a state map.
  • Baby items: Formula, diapers, bottles, powdered milk, medications, baby wipes and diaper rash ointment.
  • Personal hygiene supplies: Soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, and cleaning cloths
  • Pet supplies: Medical records, medications, ID tags or microchips, current photos, leash and carrier, three-day supply of food and water, can opener, pet beds and toys, paper towels and plastic bags, and a list of hotels that accept pets.
  • Important documents: Insurance cards and policies, copies of prescriptions or unfilled written prescriptions, list of all medications, wills, contracts deeds, stocks and bonds, passports, drivers license or other identification, Social Security cards, bank account and credit card numbers, home inventory, important telephone numbers, and family records (birth and marriage certificates).